2017 Reading Intentions

Instead of using the word ‘goals’, I’ll use the word ‘intentions’. Goals focus on the future, while intentions focus on the present; goals are focused on a specific achievement, while intentions are lived on a daily basis – which is how I intend my reading experience to be this year.

My reading intentions for 2017 won’t be as intricate as my 2016 reading goals. This year, I’ll be reading what my mood calls for. I don’t have a set number of African, Caribbean or African-American books to read nor do I have a specific number of books written by women or men I’d like to read either. I like to track books read each year via Goodreads, so entering the Goodreads Reading Challenge helps me do that. Every year I like to declare a goal of 20-25 books as a set point, just to help me gauge my reading experience for the year. Whether I exceed the 20-25 books goal or not, I’ll just be going with the flow – no need to make reading stressful. Reading isn’t a race or competition – at least not for me.

Below are some intentions I’ll be considering during the year:

To READ MY OWN DAMN BOOKS! On my bookshelves, I have about 55 books that haven’t been read. I’d like to get through a good chunk of those books by the end of the year.

To PURCHASE LESS books, especially during the first half of the year – so help me God. (So far I’ve only purchased one book, so I’m trying here!)

To buddy-read with other book lovers/ book bloggers. This should be exciting! Thus far, I’ve planned to read 1 book each, with 3 different book lovers/ book bloggers. Due to scheduling issues, I haven’t successfully buddy-read a book with anyone yet, so I’m really looking forward to this experience!

There are definitely other things I’d like to pursue throughout the year with respect to reading and this book blog, but these are the intentions I’ll share for now.

Here’s to a successful year of reading (with few reading slumps), for all of us!

It’s almost the end of the 1st month of 2017, have you figured out your reading intentions/goals yet? Please do share some!

Sounds like a plan. I have over 100 books on my shelves that I haven’t yet read so I’m also trying to read my own damn books and purchase less too, which is really hard because I just got a Barnes n Noble coupon.
Buddy reading is fun and I’d like to do more of those too.
Good luck on fulfulling these intentions!

Definitely into reading the books on my shelf, and following via GR and trying to keep reading around the world, I like ‘intentions’, it allows for a bit more spontaneity than ‘plans’. I have a few more Caribbean authors to indulge this year which I’m looking forward to, look forward to reading your reviews!

I don’t normally keep track of the number of books I read in a year but I might just to see – I have no idea if 25 is high or low for me, as I’ve never really cared about the number just the reading experience. I, too, have too many unread books on my shelves to justify buying more – though I have had a deal with myself that I can only buy one new book for every 10 completed. It’s slowed the acquisition of new books if not brought it to a stop, though it leaves me with this yearning for all these new books that are missing me. LOL bibliophile problems. Good luck on your 2017 reading journey. As long as it’s still fun, that’s what I always say.

Oh wow! I love the ‘buy 1 new book for every 10 completed’. That takes lots of discipline too – love it! Thank you, and good luck to you as well. And thanks for sharing your mantra. Bibliophile problems are good ones hahaa.

I dislike reading goals cos it makes the activity feel more competitive than it should. I believe people should use books and read them in the ways that work for them although I also want the average person to read more. This year I’m trying to read more than I did last year. Already finished three novels in January!! The buddy reading system is also such a beautiful thing. It adds a new dimension to reading for me. I wish you the best with your intentions this year!

Definitely, goals can be stressful but still quite fun if there’s no strain on them. Already finished 3? Thats awesome. What books? Hakeem, do you use Goodreads? And I’m down to buddy-reading anything with you if you’re down. Thanks, good luck with your reading this year as well 🙂

I started with Lolita by Nabokov, then Appointment in Samarra by John O’Hara and finally Tuesday’s with Morrie just this weekend. Now I’m trying to make some progress with Swing Time. I stop anytime I start. I hardly use Goodreads beyond looking for new titles to explore. And yes! I’m down to buddy-read as well. I just hope I’ll have time now that my semester is starting.

Right. Though reading less doesn’t necessarily mean your experience is more fun (I know some pepole just read fast and like to read more), I agree lol. I really don’t have much time to be reading a ton – aka dental school lol. I look forward to your reviews 🙂

I’ve begun full time work as an adult and I’ve realized that I had more time to read books as a student. I have so many books I want to read and review this year. I hope I can squeeze them in. Good luck with your reading “intentions” lol

Its nice to read your article. Well I have purchased 10 books last month. Luckily I could able to finish 2 of them.
I’m very excited to read the books on my shelves. I don’t read for any purpose but I read for joy and pleasure.

I didn’t make any intentions but I want to make sure to read the books I already have and also to read as much African feminist literature as I can. Esp. Buchi Emecheta.
BTW, where in Accra do you buy books? I have a friend who claims there are no bookstores in Accra.

hey! Sounds good. I’ve only read The Bride Price – back in 2014. I have 2 more of her books on my bookshelf that need to be read too lol (The Joys of Motherhood & The New Tribe). Ha! I don’t blame your friend ohhh. Getting books here in Accra is tough. I go to Vidya bookstore in Osu for books; EPP bookstore in East Legon – even though they don’t restock any of their African fiction smh; Ghana Book Trust in East Legon – rarely though. Otherwise, I just buy from the US… its disappointing how we don’t have access to the books our own people produce smh. But Vidya is her best bet. Just tell her to have lots of money on her. Its not cheap – especially the African fiction.

The two books you mentioned (The Joys of Motherhood & The New Tribe) are the only ones I’ve read.
Thank you for the bookstore suggestions, I’ll pass them on to her. And true, we really need to be selling and reading our own writers, charity begins at home.

I love your intentions.
We share the same intention of reading everything we haven’t read on our shelves, although you have a far more impressive collection than I do! I had nine books for Christmas, and about 15 others that I hadn’t got through, so I’m working my way through them at the moment. How are you doing with the challenge? I hope it’s going well!

Hi Rebekah. 9 books for Christmas? Your holiday must have been merry indeed! Yeah I’m working on the backlog of books on my shelves. Seems to be a focus for other book lovers as well. Slowly but surely 🙂

Yeah! It was more than I usually receive, and things I’ve been wanting to read for a while, so I was super happy.
I’ve noticed it a lot, definitely. I think it’s a problem any true book lover has, let’s be honest.

I’m going to start weekly and monthly book goals. I plan to read about 2 books a week and ten in a month. If I succeed with these, I will up the amount that I already have. I also have the same intention to not continuously buy books and read the ones I have!

How is the buddy reading going? I just finished my first every buddy read this week and loved it. I plan to do more of that too.
I am also reading more of my own collection. I am participating in a challenge to do that and my goal is to read at least three-quarters of the books I’ve bought since 12/16. I talk about it here. https://runwright.net/2017/03/23/get-paid-to-read/
Are you doing it?

I start buddy- reading this summer, so I look forward to that. What book did you buddy read and was it with a good friend/internet friend? The Get Paid To Read challenge looks interesting! I’ll look into it more! But I’m kinda failing at this no book buying thing LOL. I’ve bought like 5 books already this year… sigh

I buddy read The Time Traveler’s Wife with a fellow BookTuber.
Don’t worry about the book buying ban. I think readers have to buy books. It’s how we support authors and get them to continue giving us great content to read. Maybe you try to minimize it so it doesn’t get uncontrollable but you have to buy SOME books, I think 🙂